
This country house in Extremadura in western Spain is a sophisticated marriage of old and new, rustic and elegant, modern photograph and heirloom art. Rural living with a surprisingly urbane touch and through it all a calm, unaffected beauty. What else would you expect from Isabel López-Quesada?






Photography by Montse Garriga

Sunday dinners are typically help at my parents’ house as an excuse to get the family together. And I welcome the one day a week (aside from pizza night) where I don’t have to cook. But if I didn’t have my mom’s cooking to look forward to, dinner out would be a sweet alternative. And maybe in Seattle at Samara – a wood-fueled bistro designed by Mutuus Studio. Inside, rich earth tones dominate, bringing to mind a tranquil wooded understory. Dark-stained oak paneling and wainscoting wrap a portion of the space and the bar front, while the balance of the space features a section of the building’s original firewall that was revealed during construction. The firewall is composed of framing timber turned on its side, and now provides a subtle homage to the cooking method of choice. Seating for 30 is handled through a mix of seating groups featuring anti-tip tables topped with wood recycled from old piers, and a leather banquette. A chef’s counter, finished in soapstone, seats an additional six guests. Copper cladding wraps the area above the grill features a rich patina, and hand-made Danish brick, embedded with fused glass, surrounds the grill to create a delicate dance of firelight.










Photos: Kevin Scott

I had to share another country home with you by Leanne Ford because lawd half mursey she does country so very VERY well. Rustic, chic and always a bit of an edge that you would expect from Leanne – throwing some black in there for drama and contrast.














Photos: Reid Rolls

This farmhouse in the country is so beautiful I just want to melt into each photo. Designed by the great Leanne Ford, it’s simple in all white and caramel colours – very much neutral and soothing.










Photos: Reid Rolls

I strive to find unique spaces to share on this blog of ours because I feel like the design world can be over-saturated with the same styles. Trends are not my thing. When I came across creator and designer Valentin Loellman, from Maastricht, The Netherlands, I was very much intrigued by his vision. The first series of photos I’m sharing are of his studio’s loft. Dear gawd, is this what heaven looks like?!










The following photos are randomly selected from some other spaces Valentin has designed that caught my eye.







